My True Love Gave To Me
by bunrising
Summary: Maybe it took some pestering from Lee, but Neji realizes he can't just give the same present to Tenten every Christmas, not even if it's a high quality 16-piece kunai set. (It's practical, okay? And he knows she'll use it.) Now he has three days left to find her the perfect gift. As a jonin of the Hidden Leaf Village, he'll do everything it takes to complete this mission.
1. The Gift He Keeps On Giving

**Author's Note: Have any of you felt robbed because, after all these years, we were never given a Naruto Christmas Special? I was, so I decided to write one myself haha. Happy holidays, everyone!**

* * *

Neji doesn't lose things. He knows where his Leaf headband is, or at least where it should be—strewn across his nightstand, somewhere between an alarm clock and an old photo of Team Guy. But when his hand darts out from under the bed covers and pats down the nightstand, he's only rewarded with a fistful of hair ties.

He immediately sits up in bed. Over Lee's dead body is he showing up to training without his headband.

"I'm sure it's here somewhere," he says aloud because, if he's learned anything from Naruto, you can speak anything into existence.

It's not under his bed. Or in his closet. Not his knapsack either. Okay, when is it appropriate to scream in frustration? By now, Lee and Tenten may have already arrived at the training grounds.

Neji refuses to fall behind for such an insolent reason. Once again, he gets on his hands and knees to peer under his bed. Then he rechecks every hanger in his closet, in hopes that the headband may be hanging off of one. Scrolls, kunai, and crumpled sandwich wrappers tumble out of his knapsack as he scours its contents.

His trash can, the only place left unchecked, glares at him from across the room.

"Absolutely not." He glares back.

The thought hits him so harshly, so furiously, that Neji almost doubles over. He has the Byakugan, the most powerful kekkei genkai in the village. Why hadn't that been his first instinct? Clearly this is due to sleep deprivation and not his own shortcomings.

A breath. He centers his chakra and completes the snake hand seal with his index finger lifted. "Byakugan!"

Neji... no longer deserves to be the genius of the Hyuuga clan. His Leaf headband, that traitor, is tucked behind the old photo of Team Guy on his nightstand. Somewhere in Neji's brain, a blood vessel bursts.

He suppresses a small urge to destroy the Hyuuga compound in frustration. It's a pity he's come to care so much for his cousin Hinata because, if not for that, this place would be instant dust and rubble. Instead, he simply ties on his headband, changes out of his sleepwear, and scoops all his junk back into his knapsack.

See? Neji's calm. Centered. He's fine.

He repeats this in his head, like a meditation, as he hurries over to the training grounds. The village is bustling with life, it seems. Unsupervised children play about, chasing each other with toy versions of shuriken and kunai. A street vendor advertises fresh, juicy melons, which reminds Neji he hasn't had breakfast. He passes by the hospital, sends a good thought for Shikamaru, who apparently injured himself on his last mission.

Twelve minutes later, Neji bursts through the treetops. As expected, Lee and Tenten have already arrived at the training grounds, but Guy-sensei has yet to show up. Lee's in the middle of doing 500 push-ups, and Tenten's sharpening some of her ninja tools. He walks over to her.

"Wow, Neji," she says, tossing him a smile that unfairly knocks the wind out of his lungs, "it's pretty unlike you to show up this late."

He crosses his arms. "Something urgent came up."

Tenten pauses to hold her kunai up to the sunlight. With a small nod to herself, she starts sharpening the next one in her pile.

"Well, glad you made it either way," she says.

As he waits for her to finish her task, Neji starts off with some light stretches. He does a few lunges, making sure to stretch his calf muscles. Then he flows into a simple tai chi routine to get into the proper mindset. Focus is key in every battle, every mission. Mistakes are made at the slightest waver, and they could result in permanent injury or death. Neither of those are options for Neji, not when there are people he wants to protect.

After Tenten stores her newly sharpened ninja tools inside a small scroll, she says, "Ready to spar, Neji?"

A few beats later, he completes his tai chi routine and turns to face her. "Of course."

It's his favorite part of training, after all.

* * *

It turns out Guy-sensei never came to training, which would have been alarming until he and Kakashi race past all of them in one of their infuriating competitions. This, in turn, ignites Lee's youth, who pushes past his human limits to do 1000 sit-ups while hanging off of a tree branch.

"That was a very productive day! I feel that we have all grown stronger!" Lee says, his eyes burning.

For once, Lee's right. Neji deactivates his Byakugan, rubs his temples. He's tightened up his chakra control over the past week, which has increased the endurance of his rotation. Pretty soon, if he keeps making progress like this, he'll have an ultimate defense that will be indispensable to the team.

"Neji, before you go, there was something I wanted to discuss with you," Lee says.

"Yes, go on." It better not be another request to give him a piggyback ride around the village.

Lee's expression is earnest, but that doesn't mean anything because it's Lee. "It is regarding Tenten."

Tenten's already left the training grounds because she's treating some of the girls to barbecue. Neji's not a fan of greasy food, but to her it's more about the camaraderie and solidarity between kunoichi.

"What about her?" Neji asks.

"I do not think it is wise to give her another kunai set for Christmas."

Neji thinks back to the 16-piece kunai set, already wrapped up, sitting in his closet. "Why not? Tenten specializes in ninja tools. She gets good use out of the kunai sets I've given her."

"There is a place for practicality, but you should show her the passion of your youth," Lee says.

Is there any part of Lee that's self-aware? Has he ever looked in the mirror and realized how ridiculous he looks in that green jumpsuit? Neji refuses to take any advice from him, of all people.

"I don't know what you're trying to say, Lee. This is a waste of my time."

"I am serious," Lee says with emphasis. "Please take your feelings for Tenten into account."

At that, Neji's heart begins to race. He must still be wound up from their intense training session. It's just an over-activation of his sympathetic nervous system, a purely physiological response. Nothing an hour of meditation tonight can't fix. And this has nothing to do with any romantic feelings he has for Tenten because those feelings simply do not exist.

Neji narrows his eyes. "You must be mistaken. My relationship with Tenten is a platonic one."

Lee shifts himself into a battle-ready stance. "It appears our words are getting us nowhere. Perhaps it would be better to speak with our fists?"

It's tempting. But he doesn't have time for this... this frivolity. Without wasting another breath on a futile argument, Neji leaves the training grounds, ignoring Lee's protestations and the way his heart keeps racing.

* * *

Neji takes the long way back to the Hyuuga compound, a detour leading him in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. This is a building he usually avoids, but between losing his headband this morning and Lee's absurd confrontation, Neji might as well extend his suffering.

Upon walking in, his eyes start watering and his nose itches with intense need to be scratched. What sort of hellscape is this?

"Can I help you?"

Truthfully, he came in expecting Ino, but he's reminded she's out eating barbecue with Tenten and the other girls. Instead, Sai's standing by the cash register, looking bored. Or maybe that's just his face.

"I didn't know you worked here," Neji says.

"Apparently, this is what good boyfriends do," Sai says. "I'm happy to be of service."

Is that what Ino told him? Just so she could get her shift covered? There isn't a single functioning human being in this village. (Least of all Neji. He has no excuse being here, having this conversation.)

Neji's going to regret this, but he asks, "What are you getting Ino for Christmas?"

Sai smiles. "A lingerie set."

No. With that smile, with it being Sai, Neji is done here. And he doesn't dare to let himself even think about giving Tenten a lingerie set, of all things. The mere idea of picking out a bra in the same way he picked out a kunai set... he shuts it down immediately.

"Never mind, it was a mistake talking to you," Neji says, swiftly turning around.

His eyes are watering now from all the damned pollen. He needs to get out of this place before it kills him. If he's going to die, it's not going to be with flower petals stuffed up his nose.

"Please come again," Sai says.

The air outside is fresh, void of any pollutants from the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Although the temperature is a bit chilly, it's rare for snow to fall on Konoha. They likely won't have a white Christmas, not that Neji cares either way.

He passes by the Ichiraku Ramen stall, hearing Naruto's raucous laughter and a crash of ceramic bowls from inside. If only Neji were as simple-minded, then he wouldn't be fixated on Tenten's Christmas gift.

Despite Lee's insinuation, there's nothing wrong with a kunai set! It's not like they're the standard tools issued by the academy. Neji hand-picked each individual kunai himself, ensuring they're ANBU-grade and of the highest quality. Any shinobi would be thrilled to add this set to their collection, right?

 _Right?_

The look on Tenten's face each year as she receives the same gift—is it really joy? Or disappointment? Neji can't remember.

And she's given him different gifts every year. One time it was a hand-knitted scarf, which was a wonderful gesture as it likely took her time and energy to make. However, it ended up snagged by tree branches on a mission back from the Hidden Sand Village. Another year he received one of those travel mugs that keeps drinks hot for 12 hours, which he still carries in his knapsack. It's a small comfort to sip tea during missions that require camping on rough terrain.

There was also the time she gave him healing ointment from an undisclosed location in the Land of Lightning. He used the entire jar within three months and mourned the day it ran empty. The ointment sped up the rate of wound healing by 70%. Truly a gem.

Upon further contemplation, all of Tenten's gifts have been quite thoughtful and greatly appreciated. Is he really returning the favor by giving her another kunai set? Is that the message he wants to send? It's hard to believe, but Neji might be having some doubts. He's wavering.

Neji closes his eyes, breathes. The slightest waver leads to mistakes. And that will inevitably lead to failure. He is not a failure.

That settles it. Neji will find the perfect Christmas gift for Tenten, a gift that truly matches her brilliance. It's December 22, which means he has three days to pull this off. As a jonin of the Hidden Leaf Village, he'll do everything it takes to complete this mission.


	2. But First, Soba

**Author's Note: Merry Christmas, everyone!**

* * *

The thought of dinner, or lack of it, has Neji stopping by a takoyaki stand. He pops one of the balls in his mouth, savors the chewy octopus center. Sure, it's spoiling his appetite, but he's committed worse crimes as a shinobi. (Like that one time in the Land of Water that involved a blood sacrifice, a ripped green jumpsuit, and a crumbling ledge of a cliff. None of them ever bring it up anymore because it makes Lee cry and Tenten lash out.)

He eats a second, third, then pauses as a fly lands on the tip of his chopstick. With a smack, Neji carries out divine punishment. That fly's fate was sealed the moment his takoyaki was ruined.

"You can come out now. I know you're there," Neji says.

Shino steps out from behind a nearby building, hands stuffed in his pockets, looking as off-putting as ever.

"You didn't have to kill it, you know," Shino says.

This is the guy who has thousands of insects crawling all over his body, which makes Neji want to vomit what little food he's eaten.

"There's no point for formalities between us. What do you want?"

Shino adjusts his glasses. "I need your assistance. It's a rather urgent matter."

Absolutely not. Neji doesn't have time to go on an irrelevant side quest when he has yet to complete his main objective—finding Tenten the perfect Christmas gift. Most of the shops close a little after dinner, a phenomenon in a village inhabited mostly by shinobi, not civilians with an excess of time and money. And although he's still unsure of what to get her, he figures he can just look around until something feels right.

"As a jonin, I'm rather busy," Neji says.

"It's about Hinata."

Oh, he did _not_ just pull the Hinata card! Now Neji is obligated to hear bug boy out before dismissing him.

"Is she okay?"

Shino shrugs. "She must've gotten drunk when going out for barbecue with the other girls. Ended up at my front door, crying and babbling about something. It was pretty incoherent."

"Where is she?"

"Still at my place."

Even without his Byakugan activated, Neji's glare pierces through Shino's bug-infested soul. "You left her there? By herself?"

"Yes, but it was out of consideration of your clan's reputation," Shino says. "If I brought Hinata with me, she would've drawn the attention of half the village. She was getting loud."

Fair enough. "Let's go."

They weave through the streets of Konoha, now quieting down from its bustling daytime. About a fourth of the shops have darkened windows, indicating they're closed for the rest of the night. The melon vendor, probably a masochist, is still shouting to a dwindling crowd about fresh, juicy honeydew. He even starts slashing down to laughable prices, so low that Neji could buy the whole stand with his pocket change.

In contrast, a nearby restaurant looks packed with shinobi in need of a hot meal after a long mission. That one has low quality cuts of meat. Neji's been there several times, crammed in a booth with the rest of Team Guy. There, in that tiny booth with their thighs touching, Tenten's smile still manages to be radiant. It makes the long day worth it and the food almost taste good.

Once they arrive at Shino's house, they find Hinata slumped over the arm of a couch, clearly passed out. She looks more like a wrinkled jacket that's been thrown about than a human being.

"I apologize for any inconvenience she's caused you," Neji says, picking her up from the couch. She wreaks of sake. "Thank you for being discrete."

Shino nods. "Of course. She's my teammate, after all."

By the time Neji has carried Hinata to the Hyuuga compound, he knows that it won't be possible to make it back to the shops before closing. Instead, he stays vigilant by Hinata's bedside to make sure she doesn't aspirate on her own vomit. Such is familial love.

It isn't the worst night he's ever had. That reward goes to the time he had to share a tent with Guy-sensei, who apparently kicks in his sleep. And doesn't hold back.

* * *

The next morning, Tenten has yet to arrive at the training grounds, leaving Neji stuck with Lee and Guy-sensei. If she doesn't get here soon, he might pull out all of his hair in frustration. The two have already started their ridiculous echo chamber. First, it's 200 push-ups. Then it's 400 push-ups, but with Neji sitting on their backs. Then it's 800 push-ups, Neji on their backs, and with only one arm.

Neji begins warming up with some stretches, trying to ignore all the nonsense they're spouting. However, this plan fails when Lee has the nerve to start a conversation with him.

"We were at odds yesterday over Tenten's Christmas gift, but I cannot stand by and watch you give her another kunai set," Lee says. "As your teammate, I would like to assist you with this endeavor."

Neji's working on his hamstrings when he says, "I'm heading straight to the shops after our training session. Your assistance is neither needed nor appreciated."

It's already December 23, and the Christmas deadline looms over him. Kind of like the sun, but with more urgency and less ultraviolet radiation.

"But Neji, I've already procured the perfect present." Lee pulls out a replica of the green jumpsuit he and Guy-sensei are wearing.

Neji stops stretching because he's developed an ulcer.

"Get that thing out of my sight," he says.

"It has moisture-wicking properties, excellent for training and in battle!" Lee says, waving it in the air for emphasis.

Guy-sensei appears by his side with a thumbs-up. "This jumpsuit maximizes the wearer's blossoming youth!"

Somewhere in Neji's stomach, a second ulcer threatens to form.

"Don't you have push-ups to do?" Neji says.

It's a switch of tactics that works because these two are morons.

Guy-sensei winks. "He's right, Lee! We should get started on our training!"

"Yes, Guy-sensei! Of course, Guy-sensei!"

Before starting their self-imposed workout, Lee folds up the green jumpsuit and places it next to Neji's knapsack. A futile effort. The probability of Neji gifting that thing to Tenten is a glaring zero percent.

Neji's already flowing into his tai chi routine when Tenten arrives, complaining of a minor hangover. Hinata was still sleeping when he left this morning, and he wonders how she's faring as well.

The days of being a selfish asshole were so much easier. Now that he's started to care for others, he's had to allot time and energy on their well-being. Not that he's complaining. Rather, it's nice to have people he wants to protect. It adds more meaning to every advancement in his skills, every successful completion of a mission.

Once Neji finishes up with his tai chi routine, he walks over to Tenten, hands her a water bottle.

"Here. You need to hydrate yourself," he says.

She nods, accepting the bottle. "Thanks, Neji."

They sit on the grass, side-by-side. She's gulping down the water, and he's feeling calm, centered now that she's here. Tenten's the only other reasonable person on this team, and if not for her company, he might not be where he is today. A jonin. Accepted by Hiashi, the head of the Hyuuga clan. And not locked away for murdering two morons in green jumpsuits.

While Lee and Guy-sensei count their push-ups in the background, Tenten talks about the barbecue she had with the other girls.

"And Sakura kept raving about this soba place that just opened up on the other side of the village," she says. "Want to head down there tonight? It's your favorite."

She's right, of course. Soba is far superior to any other noodle dish. But he's supposed to shop for her gift this evening when they've finished training. He can't afford anymore distractions, not even if it's Tenten.

"I already have plans," he says.

"Oh," she says, "that's okay. Maybe another day."

He cranes his neck toward the sky. With normal eyesight, he can see a pair of birds fly overhead, soon to be obscured by the glare of the sun. With Byakugan, he'd be able to see so much more. Neji isn't even afraid to stare down death, yet here he is, afraid to look at her, afraid to see the disappointment etched on her face. Since when did his resolve become this weak?

"But it's been a while since I've had soba. I'd like to see if this restaurant lives up to Sakura's praise," he says.

He's still not looking at her, but he can imagine the beginnings of a smile.

"What about your plans?"

"They can wait."

He still has tomorrow. It'll be Christmas Eve, but at least they're not scheduled to train, which gives him eight extra hours, an entire day, to figure out what he's going to get her.

"Alright, if you say so." She gets up, then holds out her hand to him. "C'mon, let's spar. I don't want to fall behind in my training."

Byakugan already activated, he takes her hand.

* * *

Disinfectant. Yes, that's the acrid scent crawling up his nose. Neji wakes up to a white speckled ceiling, the feel of scratchy sheets that surely aren't his Egyptian cotton ones.

"Look, I'm really sorry, Neji," Tenten says, peering over him.

"What?" He sits up and recognizes the standard layout of an inpatient hospital room. A bed, a nightstand, a sink, pretty bare overall.

Tenten's sitting next to his bed, fidgeting with a scroll in her hands, rolling and unrolling it. If she keeps doing that, the parchment may rip, rendering the ninja tools inside useless. It can't be that bad, whatever she's talking about.

"I think you were pushing yourself too far with your Eight Trigrams rotation. You must've ran out of chakra since you collapsed on the spot," she says. "But I didn't notice until it was too late... so I kind of sliced you up with a shuriken attack."

Neji examines his arms. "Your aim is impeccable, as always."

Several lacerations race across his left arm, and an unusually long one extends from his right shoulder down the length of his upper arm. All of them are stitched up, each suture tiny and precise. It's not painful, just unsightly. He looks like a human quilt. Or a mended sock.

Tenten hunches over, buries her face in her hands. "My reaction time was too slow! Ugh, this is all my fault."

"Oh, please. Leave the theatrics to Lee," he says, rolling his eyes. Self-pity doesn't suit her. He prefers her confident side, the one she shows in battle when summoning a thunderstorm of ninja tools to rain down on her opponents. "I should've been more aware of my chakra stores."

He's been working on chakra control for the past week of training, gaining new ground every day, but this is a huge setback. To miscalculate his abilities so much that it lands him in the hospital? It's beyond humiliating. Something that a fool like Naruto would do, not Neji. Not the alleged genius of the Hyuuga clan.

Neji pushes the covers off of him. No point in wallowing in self-pity when he has better ways to spend his time.

"Wait, where are you going?" Tenten says, a screech of her chair.

"To check myself out of here," Neji says. "Aren't we going to that new soba restaurant?"

That seems to snap her out of it. "Of course!"

It takes another ten minutes of arguing with a nurse—he's fine, yes, his chakra stores are replenishing, can't you see he's well enough to walk around?—before he's discharged from the hospital. Finally.

Neji falls into step beside Tenten, who rubs her hands in defiance of the winter breeze. He's a little cold as well, but complaining won't change anything. To distract himself, he listens to her gush about the new jutsu she's working on. It's a substitution jutsu that replaces her body with a dispersal of shuriken. If perfected, it'll be a useful counterattack in battle.

As they walk through Konoha's shopping district, the atmosphere twists into something more frantic. Shoppers spill out onto the streets, their bags overstuffed with last-minute gifts. Neji should be among them, but he can't seem to care when there's the promise of dinner and good company on the other end of this street.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" Tenten says rather wistfully.

They've stopped in front of a dress shop, where she's admiring a rose pink dress showcased in the storefront window. In a fine show of craftsmanship, a gold phoenix is embroidered across the left breast area and down the left sleeve. Interesting. Is this a hint of what she wants for Christmas? She'll look better in that than a green jumpsuit.

"It suits you," he says, gauging her reaction.

Tenten turns away. "It's not practical. I'd be afraid of ruining the silk in battle."

So they keep walking, their arms occasionally brushing against each other as the crowd presses them closer and closer together.

Neji fears that finding her a Christmas gift will be more difficult than he anticipated. Something practical, but not another kunai set. Something she'll appreciate, but not a pretty dress. Something that matches her brilliance, but there's nothing that can compare to her. Neji has his work cut out for him tomorrow.

But first, soba.


	3. Christmas Eve

**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who's left kind reviews! I really appreciate it :') Hope you're all having fun with this little Christmas fic, even though we're now barreling out of the holiday season haha.**

* * *

"Sakura was right," Neji says over a half-eaten bowl of soba. "This new restaurant exceeds my expectations."

"Wow, that's high praise, coming from you," Tenten says from across the table. She picks up her glass of iced green tea, condensation running down its sides. A small sip. "Guess we'll have to come here more often, right?"

Neji nods, ignoring the way his heart races. It's been doing that intermittently throughout dinner, like whenever Tenten tosses him a smile akin to a paper bomb. And now, his heart rate's spiking up at the mention of having more dinners like this one, even though they've shared countless meals together. It's rather alarming, to say the least.

But Neji can no longer ignore what's happening here. Lee might attribute it to blossoming romance (or other ridiculous notions), but there's only one plausible explanation—atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. It usually manifests in older patients with a prior cardiac history, but perhaps this is a rare form. With his luck, a fatal one.

"Are you okay, Neji?" Tenten says. "You seem a bit distracted."

"I'm fine," he says, raising his cup to his lips, only to realize it's empty.

Without a word, Tenten hands him her iced green tea, which he gladly accepts. There's a sweetness to the tea he's not used to. Honey, maybe?

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" she says, leaning forward, scrutinizing him.

His heart threatens to pound faster. If left untreated, atrial fibrillation is a serious condition. Is this how it ends for him? Not on the battlefield, but in a restaurant booth? Perhaps he should stop by the hospital again.

"You don't need to worry about me," Neji says. "I'm quite capable of taking care of myself."

Tenten leans back, her expression softening. "I know you are. But I hope you realize that I'm also here to support you."

"Of course. You should know how much I depend on you to cover my blind spot," he says. But everyone else in this damned village? Morons, all of them. "I'm fine, really."

"If you say so." Tenten hides a pleased expression behind a change of topic. "You'll be at the ice rink tomorrow, right?"

With everything else going on, it's managed to slip his mind. It's about time for that tradition, isn't it?

A few years back, a retired shinobi developed some sort of freezing jutsu, which he uses every winter on the lake just outside the village. Now their comrades go ice skating every Christmas.

"Perhaps," he says, if only for lack of a valid excuse.

"It'll be good for you, Neji." She knows him too well.

"I fail to see how."

Ice skating with a group of the aforementioned morons? Hardly a fun activity.

"Because," Tenten says, "you need to expand your social circle outside of just Hinata and me."

It's an unfair assessment because Lee's also within his social circle, depending on how tolerable he is that day. Still, Neji understands what she means. There will come a time when their generation will be in charge of the village, and it will require cooperation and teamwork from all of them.

She's already laid out the trap, so what else can he do but fall into it?

"Very well. I'll go."

"You won't regret it," Tenten says. "Who knows? Maybe you'll even enjoy yourself."

If Neji were less astute, he'd miss how Tenten hides a smile by ducking her head for another slurp of soba. This isn't good for his cardiac health at all.

* * *

December 24, Christmas Eve. In other words, this is Neji's last chance to find Tenten a Christmas gift.

To prepare himself, he's picked a tree within the Hyuuga compound to meditate underneath. Breathing in, breathing out, Neji is calm, focused. Centered. A thorough body scan during his meditative state ensures that his muscles are relaxed, his chakra is flowing, and his heart rate is steady, free from any abnormal rhythms lingering from last night.

An hour later, Neji walks through Konoha's shopping district, along with nearly half of the village. The crowd is an amorphous entity, overwhelming in size. Within, there's urgency mixed with perspiration. A tangle of different chakra, shinobi and civilian alike. The spill of presents as a young man trips over his dog.

"Thanks, man," Kiba says, taking Neji's outstretched hand before turning to his dog, the culprit. "What was that for, Akamaru? Yeesh."

Akamaru barks in response, which Kiba seems to take into consideration.

"Well, if you put it like that, I guess that makes sense," Kiba says.

Neji isn't in the mood to watch this ridiculous exchange, so he turns to leave. There are better uses of his time.

"Wait, Neji!" Kiba says, jogging beside him and slapping him on the back.

Neji's nothing short of revolted by his touch. In the same manner that Shino's crawling with insects, Kiba's covered in dog hair and who-knows-what. After all, this dog boy is known for rolling around in questionable places.

Swatting Kiba's hand away, he says, "State your intentions. I have better things to do than stand idly."

"Alright, alright," Kiba says, scratching the back of his head. "I just wanted some advice on what to get for Hinata. Christmas is tomorrow, y'know."

Yes, Neji's well aware of this. Perhaps too aware.

"And why should I help you?"

Kiba crosses his arms. "C'mon, man! She's your cousin! Can't you at least give me a hint?"

Akamaru whines in supplication, which would look cute if he weren't as big and unkempt as his master.

"You've been training alongside her for years, and you can't even come up with a single Christmas gift," Neji says. "You're beyond help."

Before he can be accused of hypocrisy, Neji needs to continue shopping for his own Christmas gift for Tenten. This time, nobody stops him from leaving.

Instead, Kiba turns to his dog and says, "This guy's such a scrooge, right Akamaru?"

Akamaru's barking reply slowly blends into the crowd as Neji distances himself. Now, among the middle-aged hagglers and equally ruthless vendors, he can focus on his main objective, the whole reason he's relinquishing his day off from training and missions.

A storefront window catches his eye. It's the same one Tenten stopped in front of yesterday, but the dress she was admiring is replaced by some other strapless ensemble, shimmering baby blue.

"Shopping for someone?"

Neji turns, sees an elderly woman hunched over in the doorway of the shop next door.

"Yes, for a female my age," he says.

"A lover?"

"A comrade," he says, "but one very close to me."

"I see," she says, pausing as if in thought, then disappearing within her shop.

Neji follows her inside. The shelves are crammed with assorted trinkets. Necklaces that can't decide if they're silver or pearl. A hair stick dripping with crystal flowers, a gold bird perched on its end. Music boxes encrusted with seashells from the Land of Water, playing a tune that's foreign yet familiar.

"Anything to your taste?" the elderly shopkeeper says from beside him. She follows his line of sight and nods. "That hair stick? A fine choice."

"How much is it?"

She answers him with a tug of his low-hanging ponytail. Neji narrows his eyes, but he still gets down on one knee. Then she wrestles with his hair, occasionally jerking his head to and fro. Once satisfied, the shopkeeper gives him a hand mirror to inspect her work. He takes it, but activates his Byakugan anyway.

"Not bad," Neji says.

His hair is in some elaborate updo involving braids and twists, and it's adorned with the hair stick. Even in the dim lighting of the shop, the gold bird perched at the end twinkles. Definitely high quality.

"Not bad? Try stunning," the shopkeeper says, letting out a snort. "I hope this comrade of yours has hair just as silky."

"She doesn't," he says, which is true. Tenten buys some off-brand conditioner, if even that, in favor of spending all her funds on assorted weapons. Neji, on the other hand, looks at hair products as investments for his overall well-being. "But it would suit her anyway."

The shopkeeper smiles. "Since I like you, I'll give you a good discount."

Oh, so they're going to play that game. Very well. Lowering the mirror, Neji's about to reply when he hears a bark.

Not _this_ again.

"You're right, Akamaru. That's a nice hair stick," Kiba says from the doorway. "Hinata would love it."

Kiba saunters in like he owns the place. Since when were dogs allowed to roam freely inside shops?

"You wouldn't be able to afford something of this caliber," Neji says, narrowing his eyes.

Kiba crosses his arms. "Really? Try me."

The shopkeeper names her price, which makes Kiba flinch. As a jonin who's assigned higher ranked missions with greater monetary rewards, Neji holds the higher ground.

"So," Neji says, "are you here to purchase this hair stick? Or play fetch with it?"

A growl. Neji isn't sure if it's coming from Kiba or Akamaru. "I'll fight you for it."

The shopkeeper glares at both of them. "There will be no fighting in my shop!"

Her voice is the sharp, pointed end of a dagger. And this somewhat quells Kiba, but the clenched fists and jaw don't escape Neji's notice.

"You wouldn't win against me anyway," Neji says, then pulls out his wallet. "I'd like to buy this, please. Full price."

A power move. Even if it clears out most of his funds for the remainder of the month, Neji takes delight at the glowering dog (and his companion Akamaru) across the room. He pulls out the hair stick, his updo spilling down his shoulders, and hands it to the shopkeeper. Delighted, she takes his purchase to the cash register, wrapping it up and ringing him out.

"Whatever, this is lame," Kiba says, jerking his head towards the doorway. "Let's go, Akamaru."

With them gone, Neji's left to gloat over his gift. But as his wallet grows lighter, the shopkeeper's smile grows wider. Buyer's remorse nags at his conscience. Is this the right decision? Is he truly buying this for Tenten? Or in spite of Kiba? Regardless, it's past the point of no return, judging by the sign that says "CASH ONLY, NO REFUNDS" at the front counter.

By the time Neji's ushered out of the shop, gift bag in hand, he can't help but feel cheated. He can't even remember the last time Tenten's worn her hair in anything but her signature twin buns. Should he have gotten something more practical, something she'd actually use?

He can already imagine the hair stick lying on her dresser, gathering dust.

* * *

"We're not scheduled to train today, yet you've shown up anyway," Neji says to Lee, who's counting off 500 sit-ups.

It wouldn't surprise him if Lee's been at the training grounds since sunrise. Maybe even before that.

A kunai whizzes past Neji, millimeters away from piercing his left ear before burying itself into the tree trunk behind him.

"Could say the same thing to you," Tenten says, emerging from the treetops. "Looks like none of us knows how to take the day off."

"386, 387, 388—as expected of Team Guy!—389, 390," Lee says in between sit-ups.

Even with Neji's shopping rendezvous earlier today, they still have a few good hours of daylight left. Plenty of time for sparring.

Neji turns to Tenten. "I believe you promised to defeat me during our next match?"

"Gladly," she says, already unraveling two scrolls and launching herself into the air.

And so Neji forgets about Christmas, about gift-giving and all its implications. In this moment, it's just him, Tenten, and a rain of kunai.

* * *

 **Author's Note: And with that, Happy New Year's! I'm starting a month-long hospital rotation tomorrow, but I still plan to keep weekly updates. We're not far from the end, though. See you in 2k19!**


	4. That Feeling When You're a Lump of Coal

When the moon rises, it announces the end of Christmas Eve. For the children of the village, this is an invitation for Santa to visit their homes, leave behind presents and cookie crumbs.

For Neji, it's the arrival of a deadline. He should've picked out the perfect Christmas gift for Tenten by now. But the 16-piece kunai set still taunts him from the back of his closet. Hand-picked. High quality. ANBU-grade. Thoughtless. Giving her the same gift year after year sends a message of stagnation, an insult to their growth and everything they've been through together.

And there's the hair stick, in all its lavish beauty, shoved somewhere underneath his bed. He can't bear to give her that either, not when he bought it out of pride and arrogance, a chance to flash his wallet at Kiba. Really, the only use she would have for the hair stick would be to stab its sharp end into an enemy's neck, which could be a good idea, but its delicate materials would likely snap before piercing through a jugular vein.

"Come in," he says to the presence standing outside of his room.

Hinata slides the door open, hesitates. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I've been up."

The mattress dips beside him. Hinata slouches, folds in on herself. Prodding her to open up will only result in the opposite, so Neji doesn't ask her what's wrong.

Instead, he says, "I ran into Kiba at the shopping district earlier today. You need to put that dog boy on a leash."

She allows the barest hint of a smile. "He can be wild at times, but that's what makes him Kiba."

"How do you even tolerate him?" Neji shudders at the thought of being stuck on a team with Kiba. Imagine being covered in dog hair all the time.

"He's a good person once you get to know him," Hinata says. "It just takes a while."

A moment passes, not because it's awkward, but because they're comfortable with the silence. Not every space is meant to be filled.

Hinata fidgets, pushes her index fingers together. An old habit since childhood.

When she's ready, she peeks up from under her bangs. "Neji, about that night when I was drunk—thank you for taking care of me."

He nods. "Your well-being is important to me."

Her face heats up. "But I'm so embarrassed. I was a burden to you. And to Shino."

"Hinata," he says, and she flinches at his tone. "You must carry yourself with pride."

There may have been a time when he thought of her as fragile, more of a punching bag than a sparring partner, but she's proven him wrong with her vast improvement in the Gentle Fist fighting style. She stands her ground in battle, formidable in her own right.

And the softened edges of her personality, which he once thought of as weak, are invaluable on a team. She's able to diffuse heated arguments and bring people together. It's only through Hinata's effort to maintain group harmony that Kiba and Shino are able to work as a unit. Truly, she's worth more than what she gives herself credit for.

"You are a member of the Hyuuga, the strongest clan in the village," he says, "and you've earned your place here. I don't think lowly of you. And I can assure you that Shino doesn't either."

Hinata nods.

"Thank you for saying that," she says. "You're very kind, Neji."

Her posture straightens out a bit, tension loosening from her shoulders.

Neji doesn't respond. He is many things. A genius, a jonin, but not kind. If anything, he's just come to care for others, like Hinata and Tenten.

But it's because he cares that he's been fretting so much over Tenten's Christmas gift.

"Is there something bothering you?" Hinata asks.

"Yes, actually," he says, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I have nothing to give Tenten for Christmas."

"But I thought you already bought her a kunai set?"

He did, and it's mocking him.

"I don't want to keep giving her the same gift," he says. "It isn't the kind of message I want to send her."

Hinata tilts her head, curious. "Then what do you want your message to say?"

Neji considers this. He's fought alongside Tenten for years, knows her strengths and weaknesses as well as his own. The cleaning and sharpening of her blades, how it's become a ritual for her. The face she makes when her tea isn't sweetened. The weight of her head on his shoulder—a moment she likely doesn't remember because she was so tired after a mission, but Neji can recall how one of her eyelashes had fallen onto her cheek, and how he felt an urge to brush it away but didn't.

"I want to tell her that she's important to me," he says.

It doesn't encompass everything he wants to say. It leaves out the comfort he feels in knowing she's covering his blind spot, how food tastes better when she's sitting across from him, swirling her straw in a glass of taro milk tea. There's something more there, a complex feeling buried deep within him, but he's unsure of what to call it.

Hinata nods. "I see."

"But I haven't found anything to convey that message," Neji says.

She chews on her bottom lip in thought. "How about giving her your time?"

"My time?"

"Yes," she says, "I don't think there's anything more precious than time."

She has a point. As shinobi, their lives are often cut short; it's inevitable in their line of work. This makes time a commodity, maybe even more precious than gold because once spent, it's lost forever.

He's seen enemies struggle for their last breaths, and in those moments they would trade anything, riches and land and secrets, if only to have a little more time. Sometimes he pities them, but it's never enough to spare their lives.

"What are some things Tenten enjoys doing?" Hinata asks.

"Sparring, collecting ninja tools, researching legendary weapons." He pauses. "We also share meals often."

He'd like to think she enjoys them as much as he does.

Hinata perks up. "Then prepare a meal for her."

Perhaps she's onto something. Food is able to send messages. The sizzling of meat as friends gather over barbecue. The joy of cutting the first slice of birthday cake. The intimacy of a shared dessert, spoons dipping into hot fudge, scooping up vanilla bean ice cream.

"That could be a possibility," he says.

Time. At the very least, it's a better idea than the green jumpsuit Lee had tried to push on him.

* * *

Christmas morning is a crammed diner booth on the northeast side of Konoha. Guy-sensei's wearing a Santa hat and an ugly Christmas sweater over his usual green jumpsuit. He pulls out three headbands with plush reindeer antlers, which Lee immediately puts on, Tenten reluctantly takes, and Neji refuses.

"Have some Christmas spirit, Neji!" Guy-sensei waves the headband around in emphasis, gives him an expectant look.

Neji glares back, but he accepts the headband and puts it on. Sometimes arguing with Guy-sensei is futile.

"We should get the server to take our photo," Lee says, clapping his hands.

"What a great idea, Lee!" Guy-sensei gives him a thumbs up.

Neji exchanges a look with Tenten, who shrugs.

This diner is known for its extra fluffy hotcakes. It's not Neji's idea of breakfast. He prefers rice and fried fish, maybe some pickled vegetables on the side. But Guy-sensei's treating them, so Neji orders the hotcakes with banana slices. Tenten's stack is topped off with fresh raspberries and whipped cream, eyes lighting up as she takes her first bite. Lee and Guy-sensei both dig into some abomination slathered in Nutella

"This is incredible! Thank you for the meal, Guy-sensei!" Lee's eyes are streaming with tears.

Guy-sensei pounds his fist on the table, crying as well. "It's because I'm so proud of you all! Every one of you has grown tremendously this year."

"Sensei," Lee stands up in declaration because he's Lee. "I promise that I'll train even harder. After breakfast, I will hop around the village 200 times on one foot!"

It isn't a surprise when Guy-sensei says he'll join him, but only if they make it 400 laps. With that, they scarf down the rest of their hotcakes, cleaning their plates before Neji and Tenten are even halfway done. And then it's another twenty seconds before they're out the door.

"Those two are something else." Tenten shakes her head in disbelief. "They left before we could do our gift exchange."

"Would you expect any different from them?" Neji asks.

"Good point." Her fork punctures a raspberry that's rolled across her plate.

Conversation flows as freely as their refills of tea. While they debate over how they would change the curriculum at the Academy—Neji thinks their unit on village history is lacking while Tenten argues they should at least teach the basics of medical ninjutsu—the banana slices on his plate dwindle. Tenten chases the remnants of her whipped cream with her fork.

Neji lingers in this moment, wishing it could last a bit longer, but after breakfast they're supposed to head down to the ice rink to meet with the others.

"Oh, before I forget," Tenten says, then unwinds a scroll and summons a wrapped gift, "Merry Christmas, Neji."

As expected, every fold of the snowman wrapping paper is deliberate, precise, then crinkling as he unwraps the gift with utmost care. He peels off the tape, unhurried, as to not rip the paper and decapitate any snowmen.

It's a few beats later when Neji holds up a tin of gyokuro, a green tea that's grown in the shade for twenty days, giving it full-bodied umami flavor, a hint of sweetness.

"You must have gone through a lot of trouble," he says, feeling the weight of what she's given him. It's not just the money spent, but the intention put into it. "Only three plantations in the Land of Earth grow this tea."

It's been, let's see, almost a year since he had gyokuro. If he remembers correctly, they were at a tea house on the way back from the Hidden Stone Village. He remembers the weariness in his limbs after the long, arduous mission, the dried blood crusted on his sleeve, the moment his lips touched the cup. A content sigh. Exquisite.

Even though that was so long ago, and there have been many missions since then, she still remembers how much he enjoyed that tea.

"Thank you, Tenten."

Words are never enough, but they'll do for now. At least until he gives Tenten her present.

She smiles. "Don't mention it."

* * *

It's the worst time of the year—when everyone congregates at the ice rink, a glorified pond at the outskirts of the village, and Neji's forced to skate around until he's allowed to leave.

"Aren't you cold?" Neji says.

Sai smiles. "No, why would I be?"

He's wearing a crop top. His entire torso is exposed to the winter air.

"Never mind."

Neji knows better than to strike up a conversation with Sai, but Tenten wants him to interact with the others. So he tries to make an effort, although he's barely had time to digest his hotcakes.

And the pickings are slim. Shino's off to the side, mumbling to himself and emanating an aura that could kill every tree within a 3 km radius. At the admissions stand, Kiba's still arguing with the manager over whether or not Akamaru's allowed on the ice. Meanwhile, an exasperated Ino scolds Chouji for bringing a bag of chips onto the rink. Lee, Naruto, and Sakura skate over his trail of crumbs, immersed in a discussion over the best Christmas carol.

Somewhere behind him, Tenten and Hinata speak in hushed tones. He can't quite make out what they're saying since Lee has now joined Naruto in an off-key rendition of "We Wish You A Merry Christmas," possibly one of the most annoying songs in existence, especially in their grating voices.

Since he's not masochistic enough to stick around for this, Neji takes his leave, pausing only to transition from ice to solid earth. He joins Shikamaru, who's sitting on a bench outside of the rink.

Shikamaru yawns. "I don't know why we have to come here every Christmas. It's too cold. And there's no point skating in circles."

Neji watches his comrades do just that, skating and singing and leaving potato chip crumbs everywhere.

"As a village, we tend to carry out traditions without questioning them," Neji says.

Like the tradition of keeping a life-sized Santa cutout in the Hokage's office during the holidays. It's unnerving to be on the receiving end of Lady Tsunade's wrath while being stared down by a jolly old man in a red suit.

"Whatever," Shikamaru says. "Tradition or not, it's still a drag."

Somewhere out of earshot, Tenten's still talking to Hinata as they skate along the perimeter. The blades of her rental skates, which she just sharpened prior to hitting the ice, are just another weapon for her, like staffs or sickles or kunai. She glides across the rink with a natural fluidity, as easily as if she were walking down the street or jumping through treetops.

"Not that I like getting involved in this stuff," Shikamaru says, following Neji's line of sight, "but she likes you."

A tightness in his chest. "What are you blathering about?"

"You have the Byakugan. Don't tell me that you haven't noticed the way she looks at you."

Neji would rather roll in a pile of paper bombs than reply.

"And the way she talks about you? It's pretty obvious. Look, I'm not doubting your strength, but she makes it sound like you're one of the legendary sannin," Shikamaru says, not even trying to stifle his yawn. "Like, we get it already. Your rotation is an ultimate defense."

Neji ignores the small jab at his jutsu. They both know that if it came down to it, Shikamaru would forfeit a match between them.

"Despite your conjecture," he says, "Tenten and I view each other as friends."

Shikamaru snorts. "Right. And Naruto's going to be Hokage."

"Our relationship is platonic."

"If you want to keep telling that to yourself," Shikamaru scratches his neck, yawns again, "fine by me."

Maybe Neji will, at least out loud.

* * *

 **Author's Note: This fic has been taking me longer than anticipated (because the holidays have been long over, and obligations have been piling up), but thanks to everybody who's made it this far!**


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